Chicago
This article concerns the city of Chicago, Illinois. For other uses of the term Chicago, see Chicago (disambiguation).
Chicago is the third largest city in the United States with a population of 2,896,016 (2000). It is located in the state of Illinois, on the shores of Lake Michigan. The city is the county seat of Cook County. The greater Chicago metropolitan area is known colloquially as Chicagoland.

Chicago was granted a city charter by Illinois on March 4, 1837.
Four ships called the USS Chicago were named after the city by the U.S. Navy.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 606.1 km² (234.0 mi²). 588.3 km² (227.1 mi²) of it is land and 17.8 km² (6.9 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.94% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 2,896,016 people, 1,061,928 households, and 632,909 families residing in the city. The population density is 4,923.0/km² (12,750.3/mi²). There are 1,152,868 housing units at an average density of 1,959.8/km² (5,075.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 41.97% White, 36.77% African American, 0.36% Native American, 4.35% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 13.58% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. 26.02% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,061,928 households out of which 28.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% are married couples living together, 18.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% are non-families. 32.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.67 and the average family size is 3.50.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,625, and the median income for a family is $42,724. Males have a median income of $35,907 versus $30,536 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,175. 19.6% of the population and 16.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 28.1% are under the age of 18 and 15.5% are 65 or older.
Municipal Flag of Chicago
The three white stripes of the flag represent, from top to bottom, the North, West and South sides of the city. The top blue stripe represents Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River. The bottom blue stripes represents the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Great Canal. Finally, the four red stars on the center white stripe represent, from left to right, Fort Dearborn Massacre, the Great Chicago Fire, the World Columbian Exposition, and the Century of Progress Exposition.
In addition, each of the six points of the stars stand for something.
On the Fort Dearborn Massacre star (added in 1939): transportation, labor, commerce, finance, populousness, and salubrity.
On the Great Chicago Fire star (on the 1917 flag): religion, education, esthetics, justice, beneficence, and civic pride.
The points on the World Columbian Exposition star (on the 1917 flag) represent political entities Chicago belonged to: France 1693, Great Britain 1763, Virginia 1778, the Northwest Territory 1798, Indian Territory 1802, Statehood 1818.
The Century of Progress star (added in 1933: World's Third Largest City, City's Latin Motto (Urbs in horto - City in a garden), City's "I Will" Motto, Great Central Marketplace, Wonder City, Convention City.
Government
Chicago is governed by a Mayor who is elected for a four year term. The mayor appoints commissioners who oversee the various departments. The city council is made up of 50 aldermen, one from each ward in the city. The city council makes local ordinances and passes the city budget. The aldermen enjoy substantial power in their wards.
- A List of the Mayors of Chicago.
Famous Attractions
- Sears Tower
- Standard Oil building
- John Hancock building
- Buckingham Fountain
- Grant Park
- Navy Pier
- McCormick Place
- Water Tower
- Lincoln Park
- Drake Hotel
- Tribune Tower
- Wrigley Building
- Chicago River
Important Citizens or people born here
- Jane Addams
- Nelson Algren
- Saul Bellow
- Daniel Burnham
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Jane Byrne
- Al Capone
- Harry Caray
- Anton Cermak
- Hillary Rodham Clinton
- "Bathhouse" John Coughlin
- Richard J. Daley
- Richard M. Daley
- John Dillinger
- Walt Disney
- Stephen Douglas
- Jean Baptiste Point du Sable
- Phil Everly, singer
- Marshall Field
- Benny Goodman
- Steve Goodman
- George Halas
- Carter Harrison, Sr.
- Carter Harrison, Jr.
- Ernest Hemingway
- Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard
- Louis Joliet
- Michael "Hinky-Dink" Kenna
- John Kinzie
- Gene Krupa
- Ann Landers
- David Mamet
- Jacques Marquette
- Joseph Medill
- Merrill C. Meigs
- William Butler Ogden
- James Petrillo
- George Pullman
- Mike Royko
- Jack Ruby
- Carl Sandburg
- Captain George Streeter
- Studs Terkel
- William Hale Thompson
- James Tiptree, Jr.
- Harold Washington
- John Wentworth
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Charles Yerkes
Colleges and Universities
- DePaul University
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Loyola University
- Northwestern University (in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago)
- Roosevelt University
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois, Chicago
- Chicago State University
Sites of Interest
- Adler Planetarium
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Chicago Historical Society
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Museum of Science and Industry
- Oriental Institute
- Peggy Notebaert Museum
- Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium
Airports
List of Companies based in Chicago
- Ajax Records
- Boeing
- Chess Records
- Chicago Stock Exchange
- Music Corporation of America
- Rotary International
United Airlines is based in nearby Elk Grove, Illinois.
Newspapers
- Chicago American, 1900-1939, became Herald-American
- Chicago Chronicle, 1895-1908
- Chicago Courier, 1874-1876
- Chicago Daily News, 1876-1978
- Chicago Daily Telegraph, 1878-1881 (became Chicago Morning Herald)
- Chicago Daily Times, 1929-1948 (merged with Chicago Sun to form Chicago Sun-Times)
- Chicago Defender, 1905-present
- Chicago Democrat, 1833-1845
- Chicago Democratic Press, 1852-1857
- Chicago Evening Mail, 1870-1875 (became Post & Mail)
- Chicago Evening Post, 1865-1875 (became Post & Mail)
- Chicago Evening Press & Mail, 1884-1897
- Chicago Examiner, 1902-1918 (became Herald-Examiner)
- Chicago Express, 1842-1843
- Chicago Globe, 1887-1895
- Chicago Herald, 1881-1918
- Chicago Herald-American, 1939-1958 (became Chicago's American)
- Chicago Herald-Examiner, 1918-39
- Chicago Journal, 1844-1929 (absorbed by Chicago Daily News)
- Chicago Mail, 1885-1894
- Chicago Morning News
- Chicago Morning Herald, 1893-1901 (became Record-Herald)
- Chicago Post, 1890-1929 (absorbed by Daily News)
- Chicago Reader, 1972-present
- Chicago Record, 1881-1901
- Chicago Record Herald, 1901-1914
- Chicago Republican, 1865-1872 (became Inter Ocean)
- Chicago Sun, 1941-1948 (mmerged with Chicago Daily Times to form Chicago Sun-Times)
- Chicago Sun-Times, 1948-present
- Chicago Times, 1861-1895 (became Times-Herald)
- Chicago Times-Herald, 1895-1901 (became Record-Herald)
- Chicago Tribune, 1847-present
- Chicago's American, 1958-1969 (became Today)
- Daily Southtown, 1906-present
- Inter Ocean, 1872-1914 (became Record-Herald)
- Post & Mail, 1875-1878 (absorbed by Chicago Daily News)
- Today, 1969-1974
- City News Bureau of Chicago, local cooperative wire service
Sports Teams
- Chicago Bears (American football) (Play at Soldier Field)
- Chicago Blackhawks (Hockey)(Play at the United Center)
- Chicago Bulls (Basketball) (Play at the United Center)
- Chicago Cubs (Baseball)(Play at Wrigley Field)
- Chicago Fire (Soccer/Football)
- Chicago White Sox (Baseball) (Play at U.S. Cellular Field, formerly Comiskey Park II)
- Chicago Wolves (Hockey)
Historical Events
- Fort Dearborn Massacre, August 15, 1812
- Lager Beer Riot, 1855
- Lady Elgin Disaster, September 8, 1860
- Great Chicago Fire, October 8-October 10, 1871
- Haymarket Riot, May 4, 1886
- World Columbian Exposition, 1891-1892
- Pullman Strike, May 11-August 2, 1894
- Eastland Disaster, July 24, 1915
- St. Valentine's Day Massacre, February 14, 1929
- Century of Progress, 1933
- Founding of Chicago Surrealist Group, 1966
- 1968 Democratic National Convention, August 26-August 29, 1968
- Chicago Flood, April 13, 1992
- Chicago Heat Wave of 1995
Photographs
Events
- Taste of Chicago - Annual event in the week leading up to Independence Day in which hundreds of restauranteurs sell samples in Grant Park while bands play. This event draws millions each year.
- Neighborhood Street Festivals - Annual events from May through September occurring in the various Chicago neighborhoods. These include:
Nicknames
- "The Windy City" - It is often recited that this nickname was first used by Charles Gibson Dana, editor of the New York Sun and former editor of the Chicago Republican in 1890 in reference to the city's claims for the World Columbian Exposition. In this theory, it is said the nickname was inspired by the speechmaking proclivities of its politicians more than by its prevailing weather conditions. Ardent word sleuth Barry Popik, however, has found a reference to the "Windy City" in the Cleveland Gazette dated 19 September 1885. The name may indicate the summer breezes as is described at Weather Doctor's Weather History.
- "Second City" (so called because it was, for many years, the second-largest city in the United States, and also because of its rebirth after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871). The term was originated in an article by A.J. Liebling that appeared in The New Yorker
- "City of Big Shoulders" (from a Carl Sandburg poem)
- "Hog-Butcher To The World" (from a Carl Sandburg poem)
Novels set in Chicago
- Upton Sinclair's The Jungle
- Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie
- Nella Larsen's Passing
- Sara Paretsky's thrillers featuring private eye V.I. Warshawski